Chaired by Rakesh Gupta, Additional Secretary (Public Health) at the Ministry and Director General of the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), the meeting comprehensively assessed the status of BTS nationwide. It focused on five critical stages of service delivery: licensing and renewal; donor screening and blood collection; testing for transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) and referral of reactive donors; processing, storage and issuance; and reporting and record-keeping.

Performance was measured using 10 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) based on data from eRaktKosh, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), Blood Bank Management System (BBMS), and regulatory inspection records.

The review highlighted progress in many States and Union Territories but also identified ongoing systemic gaps. Approximately 10% of districts lack a blood centre, indicating a need for infrastructure expansion. Variability was noted in licensing compliance, voluntary blood donation rates, referral and linkage of TTI-reactive donors, component separation capacity, and real-time digital reporting.

Many blood centres are not yet integrated digitally with eRaktKosh and BBMS, limiting monitoring capabilities.

In his opening remarks, Gupta reaffirmed the national goal of providing timely, safe blood access in every district, aiming for zero transfusion-transmitted infections. He emphasised establishing at least one blood centre per district by December 2026, consistent with the National Blood Policy.

The review recognised positive practices in several regions, including high voluntary donation levels, strong testing proficiency under External Quality Assessment Schemes (EQAS), and effective referral mechanisms for TTI-reactive donors.

Priority actions were identified for upcoming quarters, such as strengthening district-level ownership and administrative coordination; achieving 100% licensing compliance for operational blood centres; enforcing standard operating procedures for blood collection and donation camps; and expanding voluntary blood donation through outreach campaigns.

States and Union Territories were advised to adopt advanced testing protocols like 4th generation ELISA/CLIA-based screening and increase component separation capacity to optimise blood usage.

The Ministry stressed the importance of full digital integration, aiming for complete onboarding and real-time data updating on eRaktKosh and BBMS. Implementing ABDM-enabled biometric donor identification and creating Health Facility Registry identifiers for all blood centres were noted as vital to improving traceability and transparency.

The review also highlighted the need to strengthen referral and linkage systems to ensure that donors testing positive for TTIs receive appropriate care and treatment.

A time-bound action plan will be executed in coordination with the National Blood Transfusion Council, State Blood Transfusion Councils, CDSCO, State Food and Drugs Administrations, and the Indian Red Cross Society. Progress will be monitored monthly and quarterly.

Concluding the meeting, Gupta outlined key operational directions for States and Union Territories, including reviewing licence statuses of blood centres, implementing universal digital adoption and real-time reporting, enhancing human resource capacity through standardised training, and enabling ABDM-linked donor identification at all facilities.

The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with States and Union Territories to develop a robust, efficient, and transparent blood transfusion system, ensuring safe and adequate blood supply for all citizens.